Anxiety Counseling & Therapy
Are overwhelming stress and anxiety keeping you from living the life you want?
- Do you worry all the time or constantly feel on edge or nervous?
- Are you experiencing emotional or physical discomfort from painful memories, obsessive thoughts, or stress in social situations?
- Do you experience frequent or occasional tightness in your chest, shortness of breathing, muscle tension, or unexplained body aches and pains?
- Perhaps you have a difficult time being in public places, large groups, or even in more intimate social situations like on a date or with a close friend.
- Are you hyper vigilant or hyper-attuned to your partner, colleagues, boss, or loved ones?
- Maybe you lack trust in yourself and worry about, or have trouble acknowledging, your worth and value.
WHAT IS ANXIETY?
Anxiety comes in many forms: social anxiety, panic attacks, performance anxiety, or simply a constant sense of worry. Although some may regard these as “disorders,” we believe they are a way that many people with unique qualities and gifts experience the world and manage stress. Underlying this way of experiencing are valuable qualities, such as awareness, engagement, sensitivity, pro-activity, attentiveness to details, and loyalty.
There is a field beyond right thinking and wrong thinking, I will meet you there.
— Rumi
However, these qualities, without the ability to stay grounded in your own strength and value, can be experienced as racing thoughts, over-commitment, people pleasing, a fear of the future, or the constant need for reassurance, among other things. Accessing and learning to utilize these gifts is the key to moving from anxiety to joy and meaning.
Although it may feel like you can’t resolve the effects of anxiety, you’re not alone. Would you like to step outside of the worry and stress and enjoy new pathways of experiencing life? What about doing this with your partner by your side so you can learn together?
Anxiety Is A Common Health Issue
Anxiety Therapy Can Offer Clarity and Relief
Therapy can be extremely effective, particularly for people suffering from anxiety. Individuals who regularly experience anxiety are usually inclined to seek solutions to their situations, which makes them perfectly suited for the therapeutic process. At Heartswell, we also provide a process for doing this with your partner so you can both learn to better manage together and find new ways of connecting on a deeper level.
Working together, we can take the fight response that anxiety naturally creates and put it to good use. Over time, you will be able to minimize the impact anxiety has on your personal well-being and your close relationships.
Anxiety is extremely prevalent, especially in developed countries. In fact, the US is considered to be one of the most anxious countries in the world. Why is that?
Americans, in particular, place incredible expectations upon themselves. We live in a highly- competitive culture of busyness and perfectionism that drives us to compete and compare our lives to those of others. Our focus on material goods, superficial beauty, and social media ultimately distorts the way we regard ourselves and the world around us. Even the sheer amount of choices we have can create a level of uncertainty that generates worry and overwhelm.
These pressures are especially apparent in high-paced environments, such as Northern Virginia. In NOVA and the greater Washington, D.C. region, weekends, vacations, and family time are largely overlooked. The urgency to be the best, to climb the ladder, and the fear of failure usually translates into—you never really clock out.
All of this stress can accumulate and slowly erode your relationships, career, and well-being. However, bad stress can be converted to good stress that motivates and inspires. Taking the time to awaken, restore your inner-self, and nurture meaningful connections can help you find greater peace and joy.
At Heartswell, we can help you learn to convert your stress and actualize your strengths. The result will be an ability to make decisions confidently, perform better at work and home, and allow time to nourish yourself and your relationships.
Change is most effective when we are able to allow a loved one into our vulnerable process, which is why we offer both individual therapy as well as anxiety therapy for you and your partner.
In either case, we’ll begin by discussing how anxiety is affecting your personal life or your relationship. In a neutral space of compassion and respect, we’ll work on slowing down and listening to the underlying feelings that your mind and heart are trying to communicate.
We’ll help you ask yourself and each other, “What is fueling these emotions and what do we ultimately desire that will lead to joy and meaning?” and “What does safety, security, self-worth, and emotional connection mean?” Defining these values and identifying how they manifest on the surface of your relationship can offer you both clarity and healing.
Above all, our number one goal for anxiety counseling is to awaken awareness in you and to connect you to your inner-self and those you love. With that mind-body-spirit connection, you can find a new way of living—a new way of experiencing your own body and interacting with the world. By doing this work, you can enjoy a partnership that values your dreams, acknowledges your challenges, and allows you to build the life you want.
I’M WORRIED THERE WILL BE NO END TO THERAPY.
It’s true that therapy can lack a clear endpoint and it’s hard to tell in the beginning how long it will take to get where you want. For those who want a definitive time and cost, we offer packages that take you through a specific series of questions and explorations to help you identify the core of your suffering and a plan for making sustainable changes.
At the end of this process, you can continue to work with us to achieve your goals or to work through the issues on your own. In any case, the duration of therapy is entirely up to you. It’s all about learning strategies for creating the life you want.
I’VE VISITED AN ANXIETY THERAPIST BEFORE. WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT?
We offer a holistic, dynamic approach to anxiety treatment that integrates various modalities and treatment options. If talk therapy hasn’t gotten you what you want, body-oriented modalities including meditation, yoga, and alternative healing may be more effective for you.
We create a personalized plan to help you tap into all aspects of your being – including mind, body, heart and soul. We assess regularly and make adjustments. Unlike traditional talk therapists, our holistic approach to healing offers comprehensive and lasting change.
IF MY PARTNER HAS ANXIETY, IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO ENJOY LIFE?
Anxious people have qualities that play a vital role in creating relationships filled with joy and meaning. They seek meaning and purpose and typically love with great depth. They are emotionally attentive and crave meaningful connection. And they’re also keenly aware of when a relationship is slipping—and they try to address it.
Unfortunately, this can sometimes look like criticism and blame. The need for constant reassurance can also turn into hypervigilance about a connection or constant worry about whether their partner is there for them. Couples-focused anxiety therapy clarifies behaviors and intentions with understanding, allowing you to draw from and rely on those inherent strengths in your partner.
Anxiety Therapy Can Offer You Peace
If anxiety is disrupting your life, our caring professionals at Heartswell can help. Please call 202-630-9738 for a free, no-obligation, 15-minute pre-treatment consultation or fill out the contact form to schedule an appointment.
